tips & tricks

Kliar E-Coating is a great way to protect your jewelry with a transparent protective coat, or an easy way to add a splash of color. In today’s post, Ashli Brooke Taylor from Rio’s Tech Team shares quick and easy tricks to give you professional results.

In today’s post, Marlene Richey challenges you to take a good, long, honest look at yourself and decide if you are cut out for starting a business and what skills could use improvement. Read on to find out what you should consider BEFORE you choose to become your own boss. . .

With a huge list of metal clay artists and teachers, and ten different packages covering four days, the Metal Clay by the Bay conference in San Diego next August is sure to be an exciting and rewarding educational experience. Will you be there?

When the idea first hits that you would like to sell some of your hand-crafted jewelry, it seems like a natural progression from taking your hobby, passion, art, and skills to the next step: A business. You are creating so many wonderful pieces and all your friends and family have more than enough jewelry to last a couple of lifetimes. Since everyone loves your work, you think, why not start selling it? In today’s post, Marlene Richey gives you an exciting challenge that will start you on the road to business success: Answer ten questions that will help you define and clarify your jewelry-business goals!

We pay a lot of attention to making beautiful jewelry, but a piece can only look as appealing as the photographs that are taken of it. Here are a few photography tips from our in-house experts to help improve the look of your work in print (or on screen)!

Basic Stone Setting is the first jewelry class I took when I started working here at Rio. I remember the challenge of working with calibrated round and oval stones and wondering how difficult it would be to prong-set an uncalibrated or odd-shaped stone. Well, I have exciting news: Rio is manufacturing freeform ring and component mountings for odd-shaped stones. Our own Yvonne Padilla has been trying them out and she loves their simple design and ease of use. For a closer look at these unique mountings, check out today’s post on The Studio!

Have you ever wanted to make your own metal clay stamps and stencils at home and quickly? The ImagePAC Stampmaker is the answer! It’s super easy to use, takes no time at all to learn, and you get to make your own one-of-a-kind stamps and stencils!

We love discovering new techniques, tricks, and inspiring blogs by jewelers everywhere—the more the merrier! Today, The Studio spotlights a Blog We Love with Katrina Lum Designs. Check out Katrina’s how-to for making your own end caps!

The Studio is excited to bring you another video clip featuring Bill Fretz and his innovative forming stakes. Last year, Bill showed Studio readers some Basic Hammering and Forming. This year, he helps us take forming a few steps further with a clip from his latest DVD, Metalsmith Essentials: Forming Hollow Rings with Bill Fretz.

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Rio Grande’s Blog

Welcome to Rio Grande's Blog, a meeting place for those who, like all of us at Rio Grande, share a passion for making jewelry.

This little corner of the web is your opportunity to meet and visit with our experts and the experts who are our friends and partners. Come by often and see what’s new. Offer your take on the latest and greatest in your shop or studio.

Whether you’re just starting out or are always on the prowl for a new idea or inspiration, we look forward to getting to know you!